30/03/15

Our New International Fellow

Kidneys for Life has for the first time co-funded a Fellowship in conjunction with the International Society for Nephrologists (ISN). The ISN Fellowship program provides relevant and contemporary nephrology training to physicians from emerging countries, with the ultimate goal of improving the standards in the Fellows’ home countries upon their return and becoming leaders in their fields.

ISN Fellows receive hands-on training in advanced host institutions such as the MRI & RMCH, allowing them to acquire state-of-the-art knowledge in basic and clinical nephrology, dialysis, transplantation, and epidemiology. The training focuses on providing the exact skills and knowledge specifically required by the home institution.

Our Fellow is Dr Ajaya Dhakal from Nepal who has been with us now for two months and is working closely with Dr Rachel Lennon, Consultant Paediatric Nephrologist & Kidneys for Life Trustee.

Dr Dhakal has said of this opportunity; “I am a Paediatrician and Lecturer at KIST Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Nepal. I am doing clinical fellowship training in Paediatric Nephrology at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
The National healthcare system of Nepal including private institutes relies greatly on General Paediatrician for all sorts of Paediatric illness including renal diseases. There is no formal training or any sort of fellowship system in the field of Paediatric Nephrology in Nepal. I was able to manage paediatric renal cases including performing renal biopsy, femoral catheterization and other renal procedures through experience, short trainings and by consulting adult Nephrologist. The persistent gap in expertise and the feeling of providing appropriate clinical care provoked me to seek out opportunities abroad. While looking for the opportunity I reached out to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital for fellowship training in Paediatric Nephrology. The International Society of Nephrology and Kidneys for Life at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital co-sponsors my current fellowship program.

I began my fellowship in January 2015. My mentor (Dr. Rachel Lennon), staff at Kidneys for Life (Irene Chamber) and the staff at the department of paediatric nephrology are striving and working hard to make my fellowship training more fruitful. Personally they have been very helpful and supportive. In the hospital I am engaged in outpatient department, dialysis unit and in-patient department assisting in patient management and other procedures.

After completion of my fellowship I will return to Nepal and continue working in patient management and advancing the field of paediatric nephrology. I wholeheartedly thank International Society of Nephrology, Kidneys for Life and Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital for this opportunity”